"We had trouble finding things we liked," says the owner of Sara & Benjamin's in Mariemont.

Leaving her background in career counseling behind, Tanzer set out to "wow" the junior market, but soon found its boundaries blur.

"There's really no junior market anymore. It's just fashion-conscious women. Originally, we were after teens and young college women, but we've found women of all ages who are young at heart and fashion-conscious," she says three months after opening.

The bright little shop carries a range of hip labels, including BCBG, Maxazria, Anna Sui, Earl Jean and Betsey Johnson and a stockpile of denim. The racks of "little black dresses" and evening wear will have you searching for an event to shop for. And these Tylie Malibu pink sheepskin suede boots with Vibram soles and leather "Amore" patches will have you clamoring for winter, $320.

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday (until 8 p.m. Thursday). 6810 Wooster Pike. (513) 272-2280.

Joy Kraft

Slumber dots: These soft and cozy pink 100 percent cotton pajamas are available from Pine Cone Hill at Primrose Hill in the Laurel House Shops of Madeira. Fitted inside a draw string bag for travel, these easy wash-and-wear sleepers come in blue, green and pink dots; also stripes and flowers. $52. 7801 Laurel Ave. Information: 271-7801.

Marilyn Bauer

Custom dots Everything at the Posh Poppy in Laurel House Shops is custom made. The cotton-poly apron here with a cornflower blue dot "H" runs $65. Owner Page Hall says she gets lots of orders for aprons with vacation home names (a great hostess gift), chefs' names or family names, which she whips up in light pink, hot pink, black, chocolate brown and celadon green silk grosgrain ribbon. 7801 Laurel Ave., Madeira. Information: 271-7801.

Marilyn Bauer

Nose dots What took them so long to come up with this? These cardboard WeGo cups with dainty dots and a slotted plastic lids fit into car cup holders and dispense 50 71/2-by-51/2 -inch tissues for runny noses, grubby pinkies and other car emergencies ... a must for flu season. $1 at Wal-Mart, Kroger and mass merchants.

Marilyn Bauer

Gift dots Who cares about the present inside when it's tucked into this instant-wrap bag from the Gift Wrap Co. in oh-so-50s turquoise-and-magenta dots and speckles trimmed with yarn and a wooden circle handle. $4.50. Matching Chinese takeout containers and wrapping paper, $3-$3.95, also available at M. Hopple Co., downtown and Kenwood.

Joy Kraft